VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up to 170 seats.
Savannakhet airport cannot accept aircraft larger than the ATR-72 or that have more than 70 seats. The government plans to build a larger airport in Savannakhet, Laos has 12 airports including four nominated as acceptable within Asean that can provide services of international standard. The other airports are only used for domestic flights. The Asean airport scheme is part of preparations for Asean connectivity, including the Asean single aviation market. Asean will implement its Open Skies policy in late 2015.
It is believed that, Open Skies will be an important component of the overall economic integration of Asean, since transport links are critical to bringing down barriers to trade, and facilitating change.
Asean Open Skies will allow carriers from member states to fly freely only within the region while excluding ‘seventh freedom' rights, which allows airlines to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries without any continuing service to their home countries.

published:12 Feb 2015

views:5651

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is viewed as an outcome of the wise leadership of the politburos and governments of Laos and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said the airport would more closely link Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and facilitate the growth of trade and tourism.
Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime MinisterSomsavat Lengsavad and Attapeu provincial Governor Dr Nam Viyaket, along with other officials from Laos and Vietnam.
Construction of the airport began in May 2013 and was completed last month.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital.
The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
Lao Airlines is considering operating two flights a week between Vientiane and Attapeu.
On the return journey the flight will transit at Pakxe International Airport in Champassak province to pick up passengers wanting to travel to Vientiane. Attapeu and Champassak airports are about 200km apart.
Passengers can obtain more information from Lao Airlines ticketing agencies. The option of an air route between Vientane and Attapeu is good news for people wanting to save time as the bus journey takes one and a half days. Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update June 1, 2015)

VO Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand
INTRO: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand and accommodate VIP aircraft and delegations during the AseanSummit in November 2016.
STORY: To cope with the growth in demand, the government of Laos requested an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government for the expansion of the airport.
A contract for the work was signed on Monday between the Department of Civil Aviation and Hazama AndoCorporation.
Witnessing the signing were Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchan Sinthavong, JapaneseAmbassador to Laos Hiroyuki Kishino, and JICA Laos OfficeChiefRepresentativeYusuke Murakami.
The scope of the project involves expansion of the international passenger terminal building, construction of a new domestic terminal building, construction of an airport maintenance workshop, extension of car parking space, construction of an approach road, construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and the installation of technical facilities.
The total budget for construction is JPY 7.5 billion (about US$61 million). Construction will take 32 months and will begin this year and end in 2018, with a 12 month project warranty period.
Laos will host the Asean Summit next year so essential parts of the project will be completed by then.
It is recorded that, In 2011, the total number of passengers passing through the airport was 520,000 people but by 2014 this had risen to 1.1 million people.
It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 2.8 million by 2028 due to increasing foreign investment in Laos and the growth of tourism, as well as the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year.

published:27 Oct 2015

views:1655

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l depend on the potential revenue that can be generated.
Laos' other domestic airline, Lao Skyway, is also not operating flights to Attapeu. Some planes belonging to Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group occasionally land and take off from the new airport.
Attapeu International Airport was completed in April after a construction period of three years.
It was handed over to the Lao government by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which funded construction through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
This airport is considered as a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and economy class cabins.
It will offer three weekly flights on Monday, Thursday and Saturday to the two destinations on a circular routing.
Flights from Singapore will make a stop in Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang, before heading back directly to Singapore.
Silk Air becomes the 11th foreign airline to launch its services in Laos. Once the flights start, SilkAir and its parent airline, Singapore Airlines, will together fly to all 10 countries in Asean and 51 destinations in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific.
Interview: FooChaiWoo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
As regards further growth, SilkAir is committed to catering to the demand for travel between Laos and Singapore to connect travellers within Singapore Airlines group's vast global network which covers more than 100 international destinations.
Interview: Foo Chai Woo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
Mr Foo Chai Woo stressed that they are expanding the SilkAir network in the region with a partnership philosophy and recognise the need for strong cooperation with industry partners to develop air travel and also airfreight services. Adding that, SilkAir looks forward to cooperating in partnership with airlines in the development of Laos' air t ravel and encouraging its tourism industry.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
According to a statistical report from the TourismDevelopmentDepartment, Singapore tourist arrivals to Laos numbered 8,258 in 2015 w hile the largest number of visitors were from Asean countries, with a combined total of more than 3.5 million.
International tourists are considered the most important market for Lao tourism, with international arrivals rising from 568,884 in 2014 to 643,062 in 2015, an increase of 13 percent. (Text)
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
It is recorded that, the two counties’ trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign investors in Laos.
Investment is mostly in industry and handicrafts, construction, services, hydropower, the wood industry, agriculture, and telecommunications. (Text)
According to the Tourism Development Department, last year Laos received more than 8,200 visitors from Singapore who generated millions of dollars for government coffers
Subject to approval, SilkAir will offer three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to the two destinations on a circular routing based on an agreement signed on Wednesday the 28th of July between representatives of SilkAir Private Limited and Lao Airlines.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
Laos and Singapore have seen many achievements in cooperation towards each other's development, recorded high economic growth, and markedly improved their people's living conditions

Buildings, operations and management have become increasingly sophisticated since the mid 20th century, when international airports began to provide infrastructure for international civilian flights. Detailed technical standards have been developed to ensure safety and common coding systems implemented to provide global consistency. The physical structures that serve millions of individual passengers and flights are among the most complex and interconnected in the world. By the second decade of the 21st century, there were over 1,200 international airports and almost two billion international passengers along with 50 million metric tonnes of cargo were passing through them annually.

History

Harold English opened English Field in 1929. That year Transcontinental & Western Air (the forerunner to TWA) started airline service through Amarillo. Later Braniff International, Continental Airlines and Trans-Texas Airways (later Texas International) operated flights to Lubbock and Dallas. Trans World Airlines operated flights to Wichita, Kansas City, St. Louis, Chicago, Albuquerque, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles (a nonstop 727 to LAX started in 1967). Braniff operated Lockheed Electras to Denver and Oklahoma City. Frontier Airlines operated Convair 580s to Denver and Memphis with intermediate stops in Colorado, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The April 1957 OAG shows 23 weekday departures: 11 Braniff, 8 TWA, 2 Central and 2 Continental. The first scheduled jets into Amarillo were on TWA in 1964.

History

Construction started in 1965 on a new airport to handle travel to nearby naval bases. The new airport was dedicated on September 1, 1968, replacing Imeson Field; terrain precluded longer runways at Imeson. A new idea at JIA was separating departing and arriving passengers on different sides of the terminal (as can be seen in the photo on this page). This is no longer the case, and the airport (which has greatly expanded since the picture was taken) now uses the more typical layout with departing passengers on an upper level with an elevated roadway, and arriving passengers on the lower level.

The new airport was slow to expand, only serving two million passengers a year by 1982, but it served over five million annually by 1999 and an expansion plan was approved in 2000. The first phase, which included rebuilding the landside terminal, the central square and main concessions area, as well as consolidating the security checkpoints at one location, and more parking capacity was completed in 2004–2005. In 2007, 6,319,016 passengers were processed.

Wattay International Airport

Wattay International Airport(IATA: VTE,ICAO: VLVT) is one of the few international airports in Laos. It is located 3km (2mi) outside of the city centre of its capital, Vientiane. The airport consists of an old and small domestic terminal and a new international terminal. There is a military (air force) installation at one end of the airport.

History

In September 1976 the Civil Aviation Company was formed from the merger of existing airlines Royal Air Lao and Lao Air Lines. The company became Lao Aviation in 1979. The national carrier initially started with a mixed fleet of Western aircraft, including the Douglas DC-3 and DC-4, operating on international and domestic routes, as well as a fleet of helicopters for more remote regions. Reflecting the country's closer links with its Eastern neighbours, a re-equipment exercise was undertaken in the 1980s, with the fleet then primarily composed of aircraft from China and the Soviet Union. For international services to Bangkok, Hanoi and Phnom Penh these included the Antonov An-24.

The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. It had also been known by the ancient name of Chiang Thong. Until the communist takeover in 1975, it was the royal capital and seat of government of the Kingdom of Laos. The old town centre is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.

The main part of the city consists of four main roads on a peninsula between the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers. The city is well known for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries. Every morning, hundreds of monks from the various monasteries walk through the streets collecting alms. One of the major landmarks in the city is a large steep hill on which sits Wat Chom Si.

Luang Prabang (song)

Luang Prabang is a song written by Dave Van Ronk, originally recorded by Patrick Sky for his album Songs That Made America Famous (finally released in 1974). Van Ronk recorded a version himself for Going Back To Brooklyn in 1994. It is named for the city Luang Prabang in Laos. It is one of the few songs Van Ronk wrote himself. Patrick Sky discussed at a concert how Van Ronk was supposed to appear on the album but for some reason did not. At this concert in 1973, Sky and Van Ronk performed the song together.

The song is based on the tune "Byker Hill", but with lyrics about the Vietnam war, and a refrain at the end of each verse of the song "now I'm a fuckin' hero".

Upgrade Wattay Airport Laos/ ຂະຫຍາຍອາຄານສະໜາມບິນສາກົນວັດໄຕ

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up to 170 seats.
Savannakhet airport cannot accept aircraft larger than the ATR-72 or that have more than 70 seats. The government plans to build a larger airport in Savannakhet, Laos has 12 airports including four nominated as acceptable within Asean that can provide services of international standard. The other airports are only used for domestic flights. The Asean airport scheme is part of preparations for Asean connectivity, including the Asean single aviation market. Asean will implement its Open Skies policy in late 2015.
It is believed that, Open Skies will be an important component of the overall economic integration of Asean, since transport links are critical to bringing down barriers to trade, and facilitating change.
Asean Open Skies will allow carriers from member states to fly freely only within the region while excluding ‘seventh freedom' rights, which allows airlines to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries without any continuing service to their home countries.

5:40

Flying in Laos

Flying in Laos

Flying in Laos

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

Attapeu International Airport opens

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is viewed as an outcome of the wise leadership of the politburos and governments of Laos and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said the airport would more closely link Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and facilitate the growth of trade and tourism.
Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime MinisterSomsavat Lengsavad and Attapeu provincial Governor Dr Nam Viyaket, along with other officials from Laos and Vietnam.
Construction of the airport began in May 2013 and was completed last month.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital.
The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
Lao Airlines is considering operating two flights a week between Vientiane and Attapeu.
On the return journey the flight will transit at Pakxe International Airport in Champassak province to pick up passengers wanting to travel to Vientiane. Attapeu and Champassak airports are about 200km apart.
Passengers can obtain more information from Lao Airlines ticketing agencies. The option of an air route between Vientane and Attapeu is good news for people wanting to save time as the bus journey takes one and a half days. Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update June 1, 2015)

Four Minutes at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport.14/10/2015

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport.14/10/2015

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport.14/10/2015

VO Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand
INTRO: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand and accommodate VIP aircraft and delegations during the AseanSummit in November 2016.
STORY: To cope with the growth in demand, the government of Laos requested an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government for the expansion of the airport.
A contract for the work was signed on Monday between the Department of Civil Aviation and Hazama AndoCorporation.
Witnessing the signing were Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchan Sinthavong, JapaneseAmbassador to Laos Hiroyuki Kishino, and JICA Laos OfficeChiefRepresentativeYusuke Murakami.
The scope of the project involves expansion of the international passenger terminal building, construction of a new domestic terminal building, construction of an airport maintenance workshop, extension of car parking space, construction of an approach road, construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and the installation of technical facilities.
The total budget for construction is JPY 7.5 billion (about US$61 million). Construction will take 32 months and will begin this year and end in 2018, with a 12 month project warranty period.
Laos will host the Asean Summit next year so essential parts of the project will be completed by then.
It is recorded that, In 2011, the total number of passengers passing through the airport was 520,000 people but by 2014 this had risen to 1.1 million people.
It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 2.8 million by 2028 due to increasing foreign investment in Laos and the growth of tourism, as well as the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year.

2:27

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l depend on the potential revenue that can be generated.
Laos' other domestic airline, Lao Skyway, is also not operating flights to Attapeu. Some planes belonging to Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group occasionally land and take off from the new airport.
Attapeu International Airport was completed in April after a construction period of three years.
It was handed over to the Lao government by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which funded construction through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
This airport is considered as a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and economy class cabins.
It will offer three weekly flights on Monday, Thursday and Saturday to the two destinations on a circular routing.
Flights from Singapore will make a stop in Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang, before heading back directly to Singapore.
Silk Air becomes the 11th foreign airline to launch its services in Laos. Once the flights start, SilkAir and its parent airline, Singapore Airlines, will together fly to all 10 countries in Asean and 51 destinations in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific.
Interview: FooChaiWoo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
As regards further growth, SilkAir is committed to catering to the demand for travel between Laos and Singapore to connect travellers within Singapore Airlines group's vast global network which covers more than 100 international destinations.
Interview: Foo Chai Woo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
Mr Foo Chai Woo stressed that they are expanding the SilkAir network in the region with a partnership philosophy and recognise the need for strong cooperation with industry partners to develop air travel and also airfreight services. Adding that, SilkAir looks forward to cooperating in partnership with airlines in the development of Laos' air t ravel and encouraging its tourism industry.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
According to a statistical report from the TourismDevelopmentDepartment, Singapore tourist arrivals to Laos numbered 8,258 in 2015 w hile the largest number of visitors were from Asean countries, with a combined total of more than 3.5 million.
International tourists are considered the most important market for Lao tourism, with international arrivals rising from 568,884 in 2014 to 643,062 in 2015, an increase of 13 percent. (Text)
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
It is recorded that, the two counties’ trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign investors in Laos.
Investment is mostly in industry and handicrafts, construction, services, hydropower, the wood industry, agriculture, and telecommunications. (Text)
According to the Tourism Development Department, last year Laos received more than 8,200 visitors from Singapore who generated millions of dollars for government coffers
Subject to approval, SilkAir will offer three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to the two destinations on a circular routing based on an agreement signed on Wednesday the 28th of July between representatives of SilkAir Private Limited and Lao Airlines.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
Laos and Singapore have seen many achievements in cooperation towards each other's development, recorded high economic growth, and markedly improved their people's living conditions

2:09

Lao NEWS on LNTV: A new ATR72-600 aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport.21/11/2014

Lao NEWS on LNTV: A new ATR72-600 aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport.21/11/2014

Lao NEWS on LNTV: A new ATR72-600 aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport.21/11/2014

VO A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport for Lao Airlines domestic service
INTRO: A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport after four-days flying from France where it was manufactured. According to Lao Airlines, Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
STORY: The aircraft was ordered for the purpose of mainly serving domestic passenger services and goods transportation as well as some international flights instead of airbus planes in some cases, Vice President of Lao Airlines Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the ceremony to welcome the new aircraft adding that, the airbus aircraft would fly the longer distance routes to countries like Republic of Korea, China, and sometimes they would serve high level government leaders,
The company plans to expand its fleet of aircraft because it wants to grow its service network on both local and international routes.
Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
The number of tourist arrivals in Laos reached 3.3 million in 2012, an increase of 22 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, in comparison neighbouring Cambodia received more than 3.5 million tourists in 2012 and Myanmar just over 1 million.
The ceremony was also attended by President of Lao Airlines Dr Somphone Douangdara and other staff.

Upgrade Wattay Airport Laos/ ຂະຫຍາຍອາຄານສະໜາມບິນສາກົນວັດໄຕ

published: 17 Mar 2018

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up t...

published: 12 Feb 2015

Flying in Laos

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

Attapeu International Airport opens

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 b...

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l de...

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and econom...

published: 07 Nov 2016

Lao NEWS on LNTV: A new ATR72-600 aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport.21/11/2014

VO A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport for Lao Airlines domestic service
INTRO: A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport after four-days flying from France where it was manufactured. According to Lao Airlines, Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
STORY: The aircraft was ordered for the purpose of mainly serving domestic passenger services and goods transportation as well as some international flights instead of airbus planes in some cases, Vice President of Lao Airlines Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the ceremony to welcome the new aircraft adding that, the airbus aircraft would fly the longer distance routes to coun...

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in...

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up to 170 seats.
Savannakhet airport cannot accept aircraft larger than the ATR-72 or that have more than 70 seats. The government plans to build a larger airport in Savannakhet, Laos has 12 airports including four nominated as acceptable within Asean that can provide services of international standard. The other airports are only used for domestic flights. The Asean airport scheme is part of preparations for Asean connectivity, including the Asean single aviation market. Asean will implement its Open Skies policy in late 2015.
It is believed that, Open Skies will be an important component of the overall economic integration of Asean, since transport links are critical to bringing down barriers to trade, and facilitating change.
Asean Open Skies will allow carriers from member states to fly freely only within the region while excluding ‘seventh freedom' rights, which allows airlines to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries without any continuing service to their home countries.

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up to 170 seats.
Savannakhet airport cannot accept aircraft larger than the ATR-72 or that have more than 70 seats. The government plans to build a larger airport in Savannakhet, Laos has 12 airports including four nominated as acceptable within Asean that can provide services of international standard. The other airports are only used for domestic flights. The Asean airport scheme is part of preparations for Asean connectivity, including the Asean single aviation market. Asean will implement its Open Skies policy in late 2015.
It is believed that, Open Skies will be an important component of the overall economic integration of Asean, since transport links are critical to bringing down barriers to trade, and facilitating change.
Asean Open Skies will allow carriers from member states to fly freely only within the region while excluding ‘seventh freedom' rights, which allows airlines to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries without any continuing service to their home countries.

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is viewed as an outcome of the wise leadership of the politburos and governments of Laos and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said the airport would more closely link Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and facilitate the growth of trade and tourism.
Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime MinisterSomsavat Lengsavad and Attapeu provincial Governor Dr Nam Viyaket, along with other officials from Laos and Vietnam.
Construction of the airport began in May 2013 and was completed last month.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital.
The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
Lao Airlines is considering operating two flights a week between Vientiane and Attapeu.
On the return journey the flight will transit at Pakxe International Airport in Champassak province to pick up passengers wanting to travel to Vientiane. Attapeu and Champassak airports are about 200km apart.
Passengers can obtain more information from Lao Airlines ticketing agencies. The option of an air route between Vientane and Attapeu is good news for people wanting to save time as the bus journey takes one and a half days. Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update June 1, 2015)

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is viewed as an outcome of the wise leadership of the politburos and governments of Laos and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said the airport would more closely link Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and facilitate the growth of trade and tourism.
Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime MinisterSomsavat Lengsavad and Attapeu provincial Governor Dr Nam Viyaket, along with other officials from Laos and Vietnam.
Construction of the airport began in May 2013 and was completed last month.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital.
The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
Lao Airlines is considering operating two flights a week between Vientiane and Attapeu.
On the return journey the flight will transit at Pakxe International Airport in Champassak province to pick up passengers wanting to travel to Vientiane. Attapeu and Champassak airports are about 200km apart.
Passengers can obtain more information from Lao Airlines ticketing agencies. The option of an air route between Vientane and Attapeu is good news for people wanting to save time as the bus journey takes one and a half days. Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update June 1, 2015)

VO Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand
INTRO: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand and accommodate VIP aircraft and delegations during the AseanSummit in November 2016.
STORY: To cope with the growth in demand, the government of Laos requested an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government for the expansion of the airport.
A contract for the work was signed on Monday between the Department of Civil Aviation and Hazama AndoCorporation.
Witnessing the signing were Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchan Sinthavong, JapaneseAmbassador to Laos Hiroyuki Kishino, and JICA Laos OfficeChiefRepresentativeYusuke Murakami.
The scope of the project involves expansion of the international passenger terminal building, construction of a new domestic terminal building, construction of an airport maintenance workshop, extension of car parking space, construction of an approach road, construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and the installation of technical facilities.
The total budget for construction is JPY 7.5 billion (about US$61 million). Construction will take 32 months and will begin this year and end in 2018, with a 12 month project warranty period.
Laos will host the Asean Summit next year so essential parts of the project will be completed by then.
It is recorded that, In 2011, the total number of passengers passing through the airport was 520,000 people but by 2014 this had risen to 1.1 million people.
It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 2.8 million by 2028 due to increasing foreign investment in Laos and the growth of tourism, as well as the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year.

VO Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand
INTRO: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand and accommodate VIP aircraft and delegations during the AseanSummit in November 2016.
STORY: To cope with the growth in demand, the government of Laos requested an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government for the expansion of the airport.
A contract for the work was signed on Monday between the Department of Civil Aviation and Hazama AndoCorporation.
Witnessing the signing were Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchan Sinthavong, JapaneseAmbassador to Laos Hiroyuki Kishino, and JICA Laos OfficeChiefRepresentativeYusuke Murakami.
The scope of the project involves expansion of the international passenger terminal building, construction of a new domestic terminal building, construction of an airport maintenance workshop, extension of car parking space, construction of an approach road, construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and the installation of technical facilities.
The total budget for construction is JPY 7.5 billion (about US$61 million). Construction will take 32 months and will begin this year and end in 2018, with a 12 month project warranty period.
Laos will host the Asean Summit next year so essential parts of the project will be completed by then.
It is recorded that, In 2011, the total number of passengers passing through the airport was 520,000 people but by 2014 this had risen to 1.1 million people.
It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 2.8 million by 2028 due to increasing foreign investment in Laos and the growth of tourism, as well as the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year.

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new interna...

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l depend on the potential revenue that can be generated.
Laos' other domestic airline, Lao Skyway, is also not operating flights to Attapeu. Some planes belonging to Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group occasionally land and take off from the new airport.
Attapeu International Airport was completed in April after a construction period of three years.
It was handed over to the Lao government by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which funded construction through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
This airport is considered as a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l depend on the potential revenue that can be generated.
Laos' other domestic airline, Lao Skyway, is also not operating flights to Attapeu. Some planes belonging to Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group occasionally land and take off from the new airport.
Attapeu International Airport was completed in April after a construction period of three years.
It was handed over to the Lao government by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which funded construction through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
This airport is considered as a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and economy class cabins.
It will offer three weekly flights on Monday, Thursday and Saturday to the two destinations on a circular routing.
Flights from Singapore will make a stop in Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang, before heading back directly to Singapore.
Silk Air becomes the 11th foreign airline to launch its services in Laos. Once the flights start, SilkAir and its parent airline, Singapore Airlines, will together fly to all 10 countries in Asean and 51 destinations in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific.
Interview: FooChaiWoo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
As regards further growth, SilkAir is committed to catering to the demand for travel between Laos and Singapore to connect travellers within Singapore Airlines group's vast global network which covers more than 100 international destinations.
Interview: Foo Chai Woo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
Mr Foo Chai Woo stressed that they are expanding the SilkAir network in the region with a partnership philosophy and recognise the need for strong cooperation with industry partners to develop air travel and also airfreight services. Adding that, SilkAir looks forward to cooperating in partnership with airlines in the development of Laos' air t ravel and encouraging its tourism industry.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
According to a statistical report from the TourismDevelopmentDepartment, Singapore tourist arrivals to Laos numbered 8,258 in 2015 w hile the largest number of visitors were from Asean countries, with a combined total of more than 3.5 million.
International tourists are considered the most important market for Lao tourism, with international arrivals rising from 568,884 in 2014 to 643,062 in 2015, an increase of 13 percent. (Text)
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
It is recorded that, the two counties’ trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign investors in Laos.
Investment is mostly in industry and handicrafts, construction, services, hydropower, the wood industry, agriculture, and telecommunications. (Text)
According to the Tourism Development Department, last year Laos received more than 8,200 visitors from Singapore who generated millions of dollars for government coffers
Subject to approval, SilkAir will offer three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to the two destinations on a circular routing based on an agreement signed on Wednesday the 28th of July between representatives of SilkAir Private Limited and Lao Airlines.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
Laos and Singapore have seen many achievements in cooperation towards each other's development, recorded high economic growth, and markedly improved their people's living conditions

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and economy class cabins.
It will offer three weekly flights on Monday, Thursday and Saturday to the two destinations on a circular routing.
Flights from Singapore will make a stop in Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang, before heading back directly to Singapore.
Silk Air becomes the 11th foreign airline to launch its services in Laos. Once the flights start, SilkAir and its parent airline, Singapore Airlines, will together fly to all 10 countries in Asean and 51 destinations in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific.
Interview: FooChaiWoo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
As regards further growth, SilkAir is committed to catering to the demand for travel between Laos and Singapore to connect travellers within Singapore Airlines group's vast global network which covers more than 100 international destinations.
Interview: Foo Chai Woo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
Mr Foo Chai Woo stressed that they are expanding the SilkAir network in the region with a partnership philosophy and recognise the need for strong cooperation with industry partners to develop air travel and also airfreight services. Adding that, SilkAir looks forward to cooperating in partnership with airlines in the development of Laos' air t ravel and encouraging its tourism industry.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
According to a statistical report from the TourismDevelopmentDepartment, Singapore tourist arrivals to Laos numbered 8,258 in 2015 w hile the largest number of visitors were from Asean countries, with a combined total of more than 3.5 million.
International tourists are considered the most important market for Lao tourism, with international arrivals rising from 568,884 in 2014 to 643,062 in 2015, an increase of 13 percent. (Text)
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
It is recorded that, the two counties’ trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign investors in Laos.
Investment is mostly in industry and handicrafts, construction, services, hydropower, the wood industry, agriculture, and telecommunications. (Text)
According to the Tourism Development Department, last year Laos received more than 8,200 visitors from Singapore who generated millions of dollars for government coffers
Subject to approval, SilkAir will offer three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to the two destinations on a circular routing based on an agreement signed on Wednesday the 28th of July between representatives of SilkAir Private Limited and Lao Airlines.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
Laos and Singapore have seen many achievements in cooperation towards each other's development, recorded high economic growth, and markedly improved their people's living conditions

VO A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport for Lao Airlines domestic service
INTRO: A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport after four-days flying from France where it was manufactured. According to Lao Airlines, Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
STORY: The aircraft was ordered for the purpose of mainly serving domestic passenger services and goods transportation as well as some international flights instead of airbus planes in some cases, Vice President of Lao Airlines Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the ceremony to welcome the new aircraft adding that, the airbus aircraft would fly the longer distance routes to countries like Republic of Korea, China, and sometimes they would serve high level government leaders,
The company plans to expand its fleet of aircraft because it wants to grow its service network on both local and international routes.
Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
The number of tourist arrivals in Laos reached 3.3 million in 2012, an increase of 22 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, in comparison neighbouring Cambodia received more than 3.5 million tourists in 2012 and Myanmar just over 1 million.
The ceremony was also attended by President of Lao Airlines Dr Somphone Douangdara and other staff.

VO A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport for Lao Airlines domestic service
INTRO: A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport after four-days flying from France where it was manufactured. According to Lao Airlines, Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
STORY: The aircraft was ordered for the purpose of mainly serving domestic passenger services and goods transportation as well as some international flights instead of airbus planes in some cases, Vice President of Lao Airlines Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the ceremony to welcome the new aircraft adding that, the airbus aircraft would fly the longer distance routes to countries like Republic of Korea, China, and sometimes they would serve high level government leaders,
The company plans to expand its fleet of aircraft because it wants to grow its service network on both local and international routes.
Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
The number of tourist arrivals in Laos reached 3.3 million in 2012, an increase of 22 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, in comparison neighbouring Cambodia received more than 3.5 million tourists in 2012 and Myanmar just over 1 million.
The ceremony was also attended by President of Lao Airlines Dr Somphone Douangdara and other staff.

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards.11/2/2015

VO Laos develops four major airports to Asean standards
INTRO: Laos has developed four major airports to Asean standards, which will provide linkages or hubs in the region for air transport and transit services, and facilitate regional production networks, trade and investment, and tourism.
STORY: The government has selected airports in Vientiane and the provinces of Luang Prabang, Savannakhet and Champassak as Asean airports.
According to a senior official from the Ministry of public works and Transport's Civil Aviation Department, the four airports selected can handle large aircraft. Wattay International Airport in Vientiane, for example, can accommodate Boeing 747s. While Luang Prabang and Pakxe airports cannot accommodate aircraft of this size, they can handle aircraft that have up to 170 seats.
Savannakhet airport cannot accept aircraft larger than the ATR-72 or that have more than 70 seats. The government plans to build a larger airport in Savannakhet, Laos has 12 airports including four nominated as acceptable within Asean that can provide services of international standard. The other airports are only used for domestic flights. The Asean airport scheme is part of preparations for Asean connectivity, including the Asean single aviation market. Asean will implement its Open Skies policy in late 2015.
It is believed that, Open Skies will be an important component of the overall economic integration of Asean, since transport links are critical to bringing down barriers to trade, and facilitating change.
Asean Open Skies will allow carriers from member states to fly freely only within the region while excluding ‘seventh freedom' rights, which allows airlines to carry passengers or cargo between two foreign countries without any continuing service to their home countries.

Flying in Laos

A tour of the Xieng Khouang Airport in Phonsavan, Laos and a flight on Lao Air. Surprisingly decent planes and very small airports!
Also check out the video of my hotel room in North Korea, where I try to discover if it is bugged or not: https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_id=4DkBl_3VEKs

Attapeu International Airport opens

Lao PresidentChoummaly Sayasone and Vietnamese PresidentTruong Tan Sang opened the new AttapeuInternational Airport on Saturday in a bid to promote trade, investment and tourism.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, President Choummaly said the new airport was part of government efforts to develop transport and communications infrastructure in Laos.
“This airport is a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight,” he said.
Attapeu International Airport was handed over to the Lao government on Saturday by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group (HAGL), which funded construction of the facility through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is viewed as an outcome of the wise leadership of the politburos and governments of Laos and Vietnam.
Speaking on the occasion, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said the airport would more closely link Vietnam, Laos and Thailand and facilitate the growth of trade and tourism.
Also attending the ceremony was Deputy Prime MinisterSomsavat Lengsavad and Attapeu provincial Governor Dr Nam Viyaket, along with other officials from Laos and Vietnam.
Construction of the airport began in May 2013 and was completed last month.
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital.
The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
Lao Airlines is considering operating two flights a week between Vientiane and Attapeu.
On the return journey the flight will transit at Pakxe International Airport in Champassak province to pick up passengers wanting to travel to Vientiane. Attapeu and Champassak airports are about 200km apart.
Passengers can obtain more information from Lao Airlines ticketing agencies. The option of an air route between Vientane and Attapeu is good news for people wanting to save time as the bus journey takes one and a half days. Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.
By Khonesavanh Latsaphao
(Latest Update June 1, 2015)

Lao NEWS on LNTV: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport.14/10/2015

VO Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand
INTRO: Expansion of Vientiane's Wattay International Airport will begin this year to meet growing passenger demand and accommodate VIP aircraft and delegations during the AseanSummit in November 2016.
STORY: To cope with the growth in demand, the government of Laos requested an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan from the Japanese government for the expansion of the airport.
A contract for the work was signed on Monday between the Department of Civil Aviation and Hazama AndoCorporation.
Witnessing the signing were Minister of Public Works and Transport Dr Bounchan Sinthavong, JapaneseAmbassador to Laos Hiroyuki Kishino, and JICA Laos OfficeChiefRepresentativeYusuke Murakami.
The scope of the project involves expansion of the international passenger terminal building, construction of a new domestic terminal building, construction of an airport maintenance workshop, extension of car parking space, construction of an approach road, construction of a rapid exit taxiway, and the installation of technical facilities.
The total budget for construction is JPY 7.5 billion (about US$61 million). Construction will take 32 months and will begin this year and end in 2018, with a 12 month project warranty period.
Laos will host the Asean Summit next year so essential parts of the project will be completed by then.
It is recorded that, In 2011, the total number of passengers passing through the airport was 520,000 people but by 2014 this had risen to 1.1 million people.
It is expected that the number of passengers will reach 2.8 million by 2028 due to increasing foreign investment in Laos and the growth of tourism, as well as the establishment of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) at the end of this year.

Lao NEWs on LNTV: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new airport.16/6/2015

VO Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport
INTRO: Passengers hoping to fly into or out of Attapeu's brand new international airport are in for a long wait as there are no domestic flights in service yet.
STORY: A senior official from Lao Airlines, said the airline had conducted a year-long survey of people who might want to fly between Vientiane and Attapeu but few people responded positively so no flights were currently planned.
While commercial activities are growing in Attapeu province due to its shared border with Vietnam, there are few tourist attractions so there is little call for flights to the southernmost province from travellers.
Lao Airlines is keeping an open mind on the sector and may operate flights in the future but it will al l depend on the potential revenue that can be generated.
Laos' other domestic airline, Lao Skyway, is also not operating flights to Attapeu. Some planes belonging to Vietnam's Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group occasionally land and take off from the new airport.
Attapeu International Airport was completed in April after a construction period of three years.
It was handed over to the Lao government by the Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group, which funded construction through an interest-free loan of more than US$36.1 million (almost 300 billion kip).
The airport is located in Xaysettha district, about 26km from Attapeu provincial capital. The runway is 1,850m long and 30m wide and can accommodate aircraft that have 70 to 100 seats.
This airport is considered as a significant project in spurring socio-economic development, attracting investment and boosting tourism, as it links Attapeu to other regions through public transport and air freight.
Of the four southern provinces of Champassak, Saravan, Xekong and Attapeu, only Champassak and Attapeu have an international airport.

VO SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins
INTRO: SilkAir, Airbus A320 aircraft begins direct flights from Singapore to Laos, with business and economy class cabins. SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, has finally returned to landing in Vientiane once again, after the airline first flew to Laos' capital for a period of three years starting from 1995.
STORY: The SilkAir inaugural flight departed Monday afternoon from Changi International Airport, arriving in Vientiane at 3.15 pm, and then departing at 4.05pm to Luang Prabang International Airport, before returning to Singapore in the evening.
The new services will be operated with SilkAir's Airbus A320 aircraft, configured with both business and economy class cabins.
It will offer three weekly flights on Monday, Thursday and Saturday to the two destinations on a circular routing.
Flights from Singapore will make a stop in Vientiane and then continue to Luang Prabang, before heading back directly to Singapore.
Silk Air becomes the 11th foreign airline to launch its services in Laos. Once the flights start, SilkAir and its parent airline, Singapore Airlines, will together fly to all 10 countries in Asean and 51 destinations in 14 countries in the Asia Pacific.
Interview: FooChaiWoo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
As regards further growth, SilkAir is committed to catering to the demand for travel between Laos and Singapore to connect travellers within Singapore Airlines group's vast global network which covers more than 100 international destinations.
Interview: Foo Chai Woo, SilkAir Chief Executive … English…
Mr Foo Chai Woo stressed that they are expanding the SilkAir network in the region with a partnership philosophy and recognise the need for strong cooperation with industry partners to develop air travel and also airfreight services. Adding that, SilkAir looks forward to cooperating in partnership with airlines in the development of Laos' air t ravel and encouraging its tourism industry.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
According to a statistical report from the TourismDevelopmentDepartment, Singapore tourist arrivals to Laos numbered 8,258 in 2015 w hile the largest number of visitors were from Asean countries, with a combined total of more than 3.5 million.
International tourists are considered the most important market for Lao tourism, with international arrivals rising from 568,884 in 2014 to 643,062 in 2015, an increase of 13 percent. (Text)
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
It is recorded that, the two counties’ trade volume climbed to US$72.5 million in 2015. As of 2016, investment from Singapore stood at US$187 million, ranking the country in eleventh place among all foreign investors in Laos.
Investment is mostly in industry and handicrafts, construction, services, hydropower, the wood industry, agriculture, and telecommunications. (Text)
According to the Tourism Development Department, last year Laos received more than 8,200 visitors from Singapore who generated millions of dollars for government coffers
Subject to approval, SilkAir will offer three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays to the two destinations on a circular routing based on an agreement signed on Wednesday the 28th of July between representatives of SilkAir Private Limited and Lao Airlines.
Interview: Ambassaodor of Singapore….
Laos and Singapore have seen many achievements in cooperation towards each other's development, recorded high economic growth, and markedly improved their people's living conditions

Lao NEWS on LNTV: A new ATR72-600 aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport.21/11/2014

VO A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport for Lao Airlines domestic service
INTRO: A new ATR72-600 propeller aircraft touched down at Wattay International Airport after four-days flying from France where it was manufactured. According to Lao Airlines, Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
STORY: The aircraft was ordered for the purpose of mainly serving domestic passenger services and goods transportation as well as some international flights instead of airbus planes in some cases, Vice President of Lao Airlines Sengpraseuth Mathouchanh said at the ceremony to welcome the new aircraft adding that, the airbus aircraft would fly the longer distance routes to countries like Republic of Korea, China, and sometimes they would serve high level government leaders,
The company plans to expand its fleet of aircraft because it wants to grow its service network on both local and international routes.
Purchasing of new aircraft will also respond to the expansion of business and the increasing numbers of tourists to the country
The number of tourist arrivals in Laos reached 3.3 million in 2012, an increase of 22 percent compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, in comparison neighbouring Cambodia received more than 3.5 million tourists in 2012 and Myanmar just over 1 million.
The ceremony was also attended by President of Lao Airlines Dr Somphone Douangdara and other staff.

Buildings, operations and management have become increasingly sophisticated since the mid 20th century, when international airports began to provide infrastructure for international civilian flights. Detailed technical standards have been developed to ensure safety and common coding systems implemented to provide global consistency. The physical structures that serve millions of individual passengers and flights are among the most complex and interconnected in the world. By the second decade of the 21st century, there were over 1,200 international airports and almost two billion international passengers along with 50 million metric tonnes of cargo were passing through them annually.